Soft morning light is just beginning to glow along the tops of the lush palm and mahogany trees in the distance. A goat and a pair of chickens ruffle through a small pile of dried maize husks and vegetable peels swept into a corner of the yard. Thick white smoke rolls out from beneath a corrugated metal roof and through gaps in a perimeter fence made of the same material. Komlan and his wife are already working hard to prepare the day’s inventory.
A deep amber liquid crackles into an instantaneous crescendo as it’s poured into a large battered metal bowl atop a wood fire. Komlan tells us about his business as his wife tosses tofu-like cubes in their signature flavoring. The couple is making soy cakes called soja, which they serve with thinly sliced bell pepper and top with crushed stewed tomatoes.
“We make between 25 and 30 pounds of soja every day to sell at schools and along the roadside," he says, pointing to a clear plastic bucket overflowing with the spongy cakes. “We work every day but Sunday. That’s when we go to church.”
Unlike many chefs who prefer to keep top-performing recipes behind locked doors, Komlan was quick to identify what makes his cakes so unique. While he takes great pride in his particular combination of spices and cooking style, he says it’s the water he uses that makes the biggest difference. His secret ingredient, as it were, is the water collected from the Vapor Ministries Center.
Despite having his own well just feet from the main cooking area, Komlan travels a few miles to the center by motorbike to fetch what he and most of the locals refer to as “sweet water.”
“The water here is salty,” he said through an infectious smile. “It isn’t good for cakes because they will spoil very quickly. It is also not so good for drinking.”
Because of your generosity, water pumped at the Vapor Center is treated by a reverse osmosis filtration system that reduces saltiness and other contaminants that can cause health problems in traditional uncovered wells.
Komlan has been collecting water from the Vapor Ministries Center for three years, but his relationship with the ministry runs much longer and deeper. All seven of his children also participate in the discipleship league, and his family has benefited from food distribution and community outreach initiatives.
Economic stability is critical to overcoming cycles of poverty. Because of the ongoing support of our partners, Vapor Ministries provided more than 21,000 direct work opportunities in 2023 alone. However, countless other jobs are being supported and created through extended impact in the communities we serve. Hornsby Prayer and Equipping Hubs at our centers are giving thousands of individuals access to tools and educational materials on a weekly basis that were previously unavailable. And FREE clean water is enabling cooking, cleaning, and water delivery services to thrive.
Thanks to you, Komlan is providing delicious, affordable food to hundreds in his community. His is just one smiling face among thousands your love is reaching daily.
Thank You!
